Dr Herbert SCHNEIDER AGRIVET International Namibia

Chairman : OIE ad hoc Group on Veterinary Services

The Importance of Strengthening the Private Veterinary Sector and the

National Veterinary Statutory Bodies (VSB).

Capacity building to support strengthening of veterinary legislation

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There is an urgent need to forge closer relationships and establish linkages between the official and private veterinary sectors inorder to effectively and rapidly respond toanimal disease and zoonoses outbreaks.

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Public – Private Veterinary Partnerships

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

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Such partnerships, as well as an increased role for veterinary paraprofessionals (VPP’s) in surveillance, early disease detection and monitoring and rapid response actions calls for capacity building at all levels, to meet the demands posed.

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Public – Private Veterinary Partnerships

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

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Animal health and veterinary services, being a global good, require global initiatives and collectiveinternational action to be able to implement global animal disease (including zoonoses) eradication.

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Global Public Good

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

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The application of the “One World – One Health” strategy at the animal-human interface will strengthen veterinary capacity to meet this challenge. Today’s public demands pertain specifically to societal needs such as

food safety and public health; combating emerging or re-emerging diseases, especially

zoonoses with the necessary disease surveillance and management of risks;

food security and animal production to address the ever increasing states of human malnutrition and poverty;

safeguarding biodiversity and addressing environmental management and sustainability; and

bio-security and meeting threats of bio-terrorism

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One World – One Health Strategy

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

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Veterinary Services

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TAHC DefinitionsTAHC DefinitionsDEFINITIONSDEFINITIONS

“means the governmental and non-governmental organisations that implement animal health and welfare measures and other standards and recommendations in the Terrestrial Code and the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code in the territory. The Veterinary Services are under the overall control and direction of the Veterinary Authority. Private sector organisations, veterinarians, veterinary paraprofessionals or aquatic animal health professionals are normally accredited or approved by the Veterinary Authority to deliver the delegated functions.

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR - DEFINITIONS

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Veterinary Authority

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TAHC DefinitionsTAHC DefinitionsDEFINITIONSDEFINITIONS

“means the Governmental Authority of an OIE Member, comprising veterinarians, other professionals and para-professionals, having the responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervising the implementation of animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other standards and recommendations in the Terrestrial Code in the whole territory.

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

STRENGTHENING THE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR - DEFINITIONS

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The quality of the Veterinary Services depends on a set of factors, which include fundamental principles of an ethical, organisational, legislative, regulatory and technical nature. The Veterinary Services shall conform to these fundamental principles, regardless of the political, economic or social situation of their country.

Compliance with these fundamental principles by the VS of an OIE Member is important to the establishment and maintenance of confidence in its international veterinary certificates by the VS of other OIE Members

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TAHC STANDARDS ON THE QUALITY OF VETERINARY SERVICES (VS)

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The Veterinary Public – Private PartnershipThe Veterinary Public – Private PartnershipT

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To successfully address and meet these challenges

it is important that veterinary associations /

organizations are established to organize veterinary

professionals, being in public and private service, in

a country in a representative and consultative forum.

This also applies to veterinary paraprofessionals

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Main responsibilities focus on the formal representation of veterinary profession in

consultations and discussions; the entering into formal recognition agreements; supporting and promoting public-private veterinary

partnerships; the quality performance of veterinary professional services

rendered; and the provision of facilities/platforms for continuous professional

development (CPD).

Such professional organizations/associations should operate within a legally defined constitutional framework, based on e. g. democratic and transparent administrative procedures, including non-discriminatory membership provisions and financial accountability.

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Veterinary Organizations / Associations

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In this context it is also considered important that VS build formal links with individual private veterinarians andveterinary para-professionals. Such links could take theform of legal contracts for the provision of specificservices such as disease monitoring and surveillance, animal vaccination, food inspection and disease prevention and control. Such service contracts should be within a common law framework, depending on the legal system of the country in question.

An example of such formal linkage with private veterinarians is the “Sanitary Mandate” in France.

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Veterinary Organizations / Associations

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The core elements of Good Veterinary Governanceare intimately linked to the universal acceptance of a veterinary profession (and not an occupation) sincethe introduction of formal veterinary education in1761 (Lyon, France).

The definition of “profession” is thus the most elementary legal concept pertaining to the veterinary profession.Pri

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CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

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A profession is:

"A profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to high ethical standards and uphold themselves to, and are accepted by the public as possessing special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised body of learning derived from research, education and training at a high level, and who are prepared to exercise this knowledge and these skills in the interest of others.

It is inherent in the definition of a profession that a code of ethics governs the activities of each profession. Such codes require behaviours and practice beyond the personal moral obligations of an individual.

They define and demand high standards of behaviour in respect to the services provided to the public and in dealing with professional colleagues. Further, these codes are enforced by the profession and are acknowledged and accepted by the community.”

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CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

“Australian Code of Professional Conduct”

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In order to address the demands for quality of

veterinarians in the private sector, veterinary professional

organisations have taken the lead to formulate protocols

and guidelines for quality management systems for

veterinary practices and clinics, based on a Code of Good

Veterinary Practice (GVP). Pri

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CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

“Code of Good Veterinary Practice” (GVP)

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Quality management systems are modern instruments of

the free-market system, reflecting the clients/consumers

needs for transparency and confidence regarding the

services provided meeting high levels of ethical behaviour

and professional competence.

However the concept is not new at all, as the latter was

already addressed circa 2700 years ago by King

Hammurabi of Babylon when he degreed under text 225 of

the Code of Hammurabi “ if (the veterinary surgeon)

performs a serious operation on an ass or ox, and kill it,

he shall pay the owner one-fourth of Its value”.

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CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

“Code of Good Veterinary Practice” (GVP)

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Such Codes of GVP have been introduced, during the start-

up phases mostly on a voluntary basis, becoming

compulsory at a later stage, by national veterinary

organizations (e. g. the New Zealand Veterinary Council –

Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinarians) or have

been formulated on a regional level (e. g. by the Federation

of Veterinarians in Europe - FVE European Veterinary Code

of Conduct).

Such Codes of GVP have substantially contributed to GVG

in the private veterinary sector.

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CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES BYTHE PRIVATE VETERINARY SECTOR

“Code of Good Veterinary Practice” (GVP)

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The TAHC The TAHC

The Quality of Veterinary Services (VS) and thus Good Veterinary Governance (GVG) depend on OIE International Standards which are available as and contained in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (TAHC).

available at http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mcode/ en_sommaire.htm

Chapter 3.1. – Veterinary Services Chapter 3.2. - Evaluation of Veterinary Services

Chapter 3.1. – Veterinary Services Chapter 3.2. - Evaluation of Veterinary Services

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The most important single issue in dealing with

any of the previous mentioned activities relating to

the Quality of the VS in compliance with the TAHC,

is to define a veterinarian and a veterinary para-

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TAHC DefinitionsTAHC DefinitionsThe TAHC The TAHC

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Veterinarian means a person registered or licensed by the

relevant veterinary statutory body of a country to practice veterinary medicine/science in that country.

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TAHC DefinitionsTAHC DefinitionsThe TAHC The TAHC

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Veterinary para-professional (VPP)

means a person who, for the purposes of the Terrestrial Code, is authorised by the veterinary statutory body to carry out certain designated tasks (dependent upon the category of veterinary para-professional) in a territory, and delegated to them under the responsibility and direction of a veterinarian. The tasks for each category of veterinary para-professional should be defined by the veterinary statutory body depending on qualifications and training, and according to need.

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TAHC DefinitionsTAHC DefinitionsThe TAHC The TAHC

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Veterinary para-professional (VPP)

The use of the term “para-veterinarian” or “para-vet” should be avoided and the term VPP be used instead, as “para-vet” has a negative connotation such as “pseudo-vet”; “quasi-vet” or “barefoot vet”.

Examples of veterinary para-professionals would include veterinary nurses, veterinary technicians, community-based animal health workers, food inspectors, animal health technicians, livestock inspectors etc..

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Official veterinarians

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defined in the OIE Code as “means a veterinarian authorised by the Veterinary Authority of the country to perform certain designated official tasks associated with animal health and/or public health and inspections of commodities and, when appropriate, to certify in conformity with the provisions of Chapters 5.1. and 5.2. of the Terrestrial Code.”

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Veterinary Statutory Body

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TAHC DefinitionsTAHC DefinitionsThe VSB The VSB

means an autonomous authority regulating veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals

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Objectives and functions

are described in TAHC

Chapter 3.2

Article 3.2.12

The VSB The VSB

Taking note of the OIE TAHC standards, the establishment of a VSB in a country is considered to be a necessity for the profession AS A WHOLE.

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The authority of the VSB regarding licensing /

registration of veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals

The VSB The VSB

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VPP´s regulated by the VSB and their relationship to veterinarians

The VSB The VSB

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The VSB : Objectives & FunctionsThe VSB : Objectives & Functions

to regulate veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals through licensing and/or registration of such persons;

to determine the minimum standards of education (initial and continuing) required for degrees, diplomas and certificates entitling the holders thereof to be registered as veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals;

to determine the standards of professional conduct of veterinarians and veterinary para-professionals and to ensure these standards are met.

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Chapter 3.2, article 3.2.12 of the TAHC deals specifically with the evaluation of the VSB and defines the respective standards

VSB´sVSB´s have been in existence in many countries for

many years, with wide variations in legal basis;

autonomy; objectives; authority; functions and

responsibilities, composition; administrative procedures

etc.

However, in quiet a number of countries there is

no VSB at all.

The VSB The VSB

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The VSB “Name”The VSB “Name”

Be it called a “Veterinary Council” or a “Veterinary Board” or by any other name, the establishment of a VSB in a given country depends on the political/administrative systems in place.

Hence it may be for example a national body or it may be a state or provincial body with an umbrella VSB at national/federal level, depending the particularities of the VS in the

country.

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In summary, a VSB

is established by law, should be autonomous, has a democratically elected membership representing the whole spectrum of the profession, determines minimum standards of veterinary education, sets standards for professional performance and ethical behavior and licenses/registers veterinarians and VPP´s which also implies the authority to withdraw such licenses and de-register following breaches of professional conduct or ethical behavior.

VSB - Summary VSB - Summary

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1. provide enabling national legislation for the establishment of an autonomous “Veterinary Statutory Body” with clearly defined powers and objectives to regulate the veterinary profession as a whole in accordance with OIE standards as contained and referred to in article 3.2.12 of the TAHC

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Within the context of this Conference on Veterinary Legislation it is recommended that countries

RecommendationsRecommendations

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2. clearly define “veterinarian” and “ veterinary para-professional” in such legislation;

3. provide an enabling legislative environment for the establishment of private veterinary sector organizations and their participation in all relevant animal health activities of the country.

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THANK YOUTHANK YOU

It may be a long road ahead – but dont despair – you will get

there !